With the hiring of head coach Tosh Lupoi, the Cal edge depth chart and coaching staff was completely remade, with two edge specialists brought in with edge coach Bryan Barraza who made the move from Oregon with Lupoi as well as Cal and NFL legend Lorenzo Alexander, who’s serving as assistant edge coach with the Bears.
Both coaches are excited about the talented group they’re working with this spring.
“We’ve got a talented young group,” Barraza said. “First off, I love those guys. One of them, keeping him in my thoughts and prayers and his family is Justin Beadles. Just lost his grandfather the other day. So Beadles family, I just want to let you guys know that we're thinking about you and taking care of your boy. But they've all done really well, focusing on fundamentals right now.
“We’ve got a lot of good players. Every single one of my guys is going to have a role for us this year. And that's not only stopping the run, but then, of course, what everyone cares about, being able to rush the passer. But the fundamentals in the run game is what we focused on primarily in the first two months here.
“It doesn't just happen overnight. It takes work. It takes grind. But it's been good. What I'm fortunate for is that all these guys are good kids, they want to be the best version of themselves for them, but not only their future, but for the families, you know, representing themselves. That's why I really like look at my group.”
Barraza worked with head coach Tosh Lupoi at Oregon and was asked if he sees a difference in him as a head coach.
“Tosh is Tosh,”Barraza said with a smile. “I love Tosh. Got to work with him for the past couple years. You know what he's always gonna bring guys? His attitude and his effort every single day. I speak for me, d2 and Coach Ed and, of course, Zo, as far as we're his GAs. This is his position group at the end of the day, and he's going to motivate us to become the best version of ourselves as a coach. Because he's seen it. He's seen it done at the best levels, not only in college but in the NFL. So his standard of, as far as what he's supposed to be looking for in the edge group, is something that we try to live up to every single day. And to be able to work with Zo, a 15-year NFL vet. I mean, it's phenomenal, right? The advice, the wisdom that he is able to share not only me but with the group.”
Alexander is relishing being back where his career really took off as a Bears, culminating in a long and successful NFL run.
“It's great,” Alexander said. “It kind of was a full circle moment. Obviously, I went here back in 2001 to 2004, had a lot of great talent there with Tedford: Aaron Rodgers, Marshawn Lynch, that whole group that really, I think, started to change the program even then. And so to be a part of this new regime coming over, Tosh has been awesome.
“For me, I think coaching has been in my blood. I went to St. Mary’s (High School) right here down the street. My Uncle Steve over in Hayward, is still coaching. So I love this. I love being able to impact young men. Obviously, I played the league for a long time. A lot of those guys want to be there. So now it's just me trying to help them develop as men so they understand what it takes, what it looks like on a consistent basis, so they can live out their dream here and then continuing that.
“I think gives me instant credibility because of what I did. And then it allows me to take time to build authentic relationships, which I'm trying to do. It gives me that ability to speak into their life right now because they know I've done it a high level. I did it for a long time, and so it gives me the opportunity to speak into their lives, help them with their technique, help them with the fundamentals.
“How do they see the game? To maybe help them be more productive when they're on the field as well.
Alexander was asked about his old teammate’s style now that he’s head coach.
“Tosh, he's actually the same dude he was in college. I mean, believe it or not, the way he approached the game, how consistent, how diligent, how disciplined he was. He was always locked in, trying to maximize his ability. And you see that the way he coaches. Now, everything is really laid out, really organized. Obviously, you have 100 plus players. We’ve got coaches all over the place that music plan can be very chaotic, but he does everything to make sure that people are in place, they know what they're doing, so that practice is efficient and effective, and that we're getting what we need to get out of it, so that when we step on the field, everyone is prepared and understands the situation, and that we're just prepared for those moments, experiences.”
Alexander also has the chance to draw from the experience of taking an underachieving program and turning it into one of the best programs in the country at Cal.
“When I was here, we had a 1-11 season, and by the end of that, we were top five, right? I think we were ranked like 114 out of 115, but we know what it takes. We know that process. We know the daily grind it takes to really shift the mindset of a culture within the football team, and obviously, the way it's going to impact this community outside. Because I remember playing in that stadium at halftime, seagulls circling, and then we had that group of guys that changed it, and it's rocking out there. We end up beating USC in triple overtime.
“That is what we were trying to recreate here with this group of men. And Tosh is probably the best person that I can think of being from this area, being passionate, being extremely diligent in the relationships that he's cultivated at every level, every place that he's been. When you talk to people who have coached with him, who have played for him, have the utmost respect, and that's the reason why I came back to help. Obviously, I have a family, and coaching, it takes a lot out of that. Takes a lot away from that. But when Tosh called me, I said, ‘Man, I can come out and support you. You've seen multiple guys come out in different capacities that you'll see throughout this time, whether they played D line, running back, whatever, that made it to the highest level that can impact these young men.
“People are coming back because of what Tosh does and what he represents, and he's really leveraging those relationships, which I think is very unique in his day and age.”
